2015 MLS Playoffs First Round Preview: Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC & Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City

It’s the Battle of Canada: Part 2 on Day 2 of the 2015 MLS Cup knockout round. The Montreal Impact defeated Toronto FC 2-1 on the back(heels) of red-hot Didier Drogba on Decision Day. MVP-elect Sebastian Giovinco and the rest of his Toronto teammates will get the chance for some immediate payback as they make the trip to Montreal this Thursday.

Over in the Western Conference, the Portland Timbers will look to put the 2013 MLS Cup-winning Sporting Kansas City’s playoff run to a swift end at Providence Park.

Read on for our preview of these final two knockout round matchups. Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out our preview of that other football on Thursday night, with the Dolphins vs. Patriots.
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2015 MLS Cup Knockout Round Preview

Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC

Where: Stade Saputo, Montreal, Canada

When: Thursday, October 29, 7:00 PM ET

Line: Montreal Impact +116 vs. Toronto FC +180, tie +245; total 2.5 – view all MLS lines

So they meet again. Just four days after Montreal beat Toronto 2-1 on Decision Day, the two Canadian clubs will do it one more time in the knockout round.

[sc:Soccer240banner ]This matchup will likely boil down to who among the two teams’ marquee stars – Montreal’s Didier Drogba and Toronto’s Sebastian Giovinco – will shine brighter.

Drogba has made some impact since arriving to the Impact in the second half of the season. The 37-year-old veteran has scored 11 goals in 11 games, including two unbelievable backheel goals in a space of just two minutes to beat Toronto 2-1 on Decision Day.

The win clinched homefield advantage for Montreal, who have taken full advantage of home soil this season. They’re 11-4-2 at the Stade Saputo, and have won their last five home games in a row. They have also conceded just 17 goals at home, the best mark in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, Toronto will lean heavily on the likely MLS MVP, Giovinco. The diminutive Italian had arguably the greatest season in MLS history in his very first year in America. He claimed the Golden Boot (22 goals) as the league’s top scorer and also set up the most goals with 16 assists.

With him and US Men’s National Team striker Jozy Altidore (13 goals) doing the heavy lifting up front, Toronto was the league’s co-top scoring team with 58 goals. However, they were also tied for the leakiest defense with 58 goals conceded, 36 of which they gave up away from home.

It’s going to be an uphill battle for Toronto to get the win on hostile territory against one of the most in-form strikers in the league, but if anyone can single-handedly carry a team to victory, it’s Giovinco.

Writer’s Prediction

Drogba and the Impact once again get the better Giovinco’s Toronto, as Montreal grabs the 2-1 win.

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Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City

Where: Providence Park, Portland

When: Thursday, October 29, 10:00 PM ET

Line: Portland Timbers -124 vs. Sporting Kansas City +280, tie +240; total 2.5 – view all MLS lines

The Portland Timbers aren’t stacked with firepower – their 41 goals scored is comfortably last among the last eight teams standing – which makes their recent goal binge even more surprising. Portland closed out the regular season with 5-2 and 4-1 wins to enter the playoffs on one heck of a high.

Fanendo Adi, who has carried the big burden on offense for so long this season, scored three times to up his tally to 16 goals on the season. However, midfielder Darlington Nagbe came out of nowhere to bag three goals himself. It’ll be a huge boost for the Timbers if Nagbe can continue his promising form and take some of the pressure off Adi in attack.

The Timbers may have just eight home wins – the fewest among all playoff teams – but they’ve lost just three times, thanks in large part to a defense that has conceded only 13 goals in Providence Park, the third-best record in the entire league.

Sporting Kansas City certainly has the weapons to give that defense a stern test, though. The prolific strike partnership of Dom Dwyer and Krisztian Nemeth has combined for 22 goals this season, most of which were set up by midfield maestro Benny Feilhaber (10 goals, 15 assists).

Feilhaber faded a bit in the second half of the season, but he came on as a second-half sub to spark Sporting in their big 2-1 win on Decision Day against the LA Galaxy. The former top MVP contender’s creativity will be vital in helping unlock that Portland defense.

It was only three weeks ago that SKC went into Providence Park to steal a 1-0 win. Sporting has gone undefeated (2-0-2) in its last four road trips to the Timbers.

Writer’s Prediction

The Timbers bring down Sporting KC with a 2-0 home win.
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